CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Dying in the Gutters #3: The ‘ComicCon’ mystery (that’s what I’ve taken to call it) continues and just as with the first episode/issue, this one too had a load of guest stars, many of whom are suspects. Having not read the second issue, I did find it a bit difficult to get this one going, especially regarding the whereabouts of a certain Ms. Rachel. Then again, it’s not like I am getting this story for, well, the story. The (TV) characters and their comic portrayal is the main attraction here. Not much development as far as the solution i.e. the identity of the killer goes but then again as with the hour long TV show this five issue mini also has it’s share of fillers.

Conclusion: Even though I’d much rather spend my time watching the TV show, this one was worth the ten minutes I spent on it…sort of.

RATING: 5.5/10

Detective Comics #825: Another month another done-in-one issue of ‘Tec. Even though I have liked this single standing format of stories, I too have started feeling the itch of reading a longer Paul Dini written ‘Tec story. Am not sure if this is the last of these stories, (they were slated to be five of these before the ‘arcs’ resumed), but in any case, as with the first of these i.e. #821, I found this issue kind of…eh. I don’t care much about Dr. Phosphorous (the bad-guy here), never have and don’t think ever will. To me he is of those character concepts that wasn’t that deep to start with and one that has run it’s course and should be left to rest. The story here has three basic parts. One, the villain, namely, Phosphorous, breaking free, two, him going after the people who he blames (and quite rightly so) for this current condition, and three, Batman trying to stop Phosphy’s rampage, failing once only to try again and succeed the second time around. Even the art is sort of a mixed bag, with some rather good panels and some totally forgettable ones.

Conclusion: Not a great issue, not even a good one…just a sort of filler between the previous one (Penguin) and the next one (Joker), which seeing that it had a fill-in writer (Royal McGraw) is a pretty 'expected' deal.

RATING: 6/10

Superman Confidential #1: A Super-title in the same vein as Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (and its upcoming successor, Batman: Confidential). That is what this series is, and as with both those titles, the sole purpose of this one is building on the main character’s history all without having to adhere to the current (or even then) ongoings in the main DCU. As for this issue, being the opener, it starts with any other new Superman title, that with the end of Krypton and the spacecraft crashing on Earth. In addition, all introduced are the usual Super-suspects, Lois, Perry and Jimmy, and just ‘cause it has to tell an actual story and add ‘new’ characters, we get a new bad guy in the form of Anthony Gallo.

Conclusion: Respectable enough start, even if it does come across as a little too Golden/Silver Age-ish, (something, I find occurring increasingly with many a Post-IC New Earth DCU).

RATING: 7/10

Vampirella 2006 Halloween Special: The first (and until this one, only) Vampirella Halloween Special I read was the ‘Trick & Treat’ of 2004. Don’t know if there was one for 2005 but having liked the first one, I picked up this one, and even though the lone story here was a good one, as a whole this special is a dismal follow-up (content wise) to the 2004 one. While that had four mini-stories, this one has just one, with the rest filled by the results of some artist competition conducted by the people at Harris. Still, just taking the story alone, it’s got the mystery and chill that one wants (and associates) with a Halloween tale, even if it is not ‘set’ during Hallows Eve (at least that’s what I got). It is a mystical/demonic murder mystery, with Vampirella playing the part of the detective, as also the judge and jury.

Conclusion: Though not a particularly good buy, the story, both, with its writing and art does present itself in a rather mature and enjoyable manner.

RATING: 6/10